The first week of each school year is always a time when I feel humbled by the dimensions of the history of Kilbreda College.  Last week, we celebrated the feast day of St Brigid of Kildare, Patroness of the Sisters of St Brigid and our College.  We are so proud to continue her legacy and honour her heritage in our 119^th year of educating students in the Brigidine tradition.

Our current students are now part of the long and proud history of this remarkable college. Our students are the heartbeat of our wonderful college, and it has been great to welcome them back over the past week and be one, once more. Witnessing their excited and lively chatter return to our hallways, classrooms, sporting fields and campus has been a privilege to observe. Our students have started the year with great energy and a real commitment to starting their school year well.

Building Resilience

Our iconic Oak Tree stands strong and tall, and its spiralled trunk has a capacity to flex in the wind.  It has strong intertwined roots that hold it firmly to the ground and it has the ability to withstand all seasons.  Last week, as our new Year 7 students and their families stood beneath its outstretched branches, capturing images of the first day of secondary school, I was reminded that this sacred Oak symbolises the Kilbreda College community and our values of Courage, Compassion, Hope, Hospitality, Justice and Wonder. As a community we work to support our students to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to feel good and live well and inspire them to view their world with optimism, justice and truth.

We unapologetically challenge our students to stretch themselves beyond what is comfortable so that the obstacles of daily life continue to provide them with moments of discovery and new learnings in the knowledge that this will engender grit and resilience – an important part of personal growth, fostered through a lived experience. At times, this will mean discomfort of unfamiliar situations or making hard choices to do what is right and just. Our VCE Vocational Major students experienced this firsthand this week, as they commenced their VET studies at local TAFE providers and work placements. Whilst initially nervous and a little overwhelmed about the prospect of studying at a tertiary institution, these students ventured into the unknown with passion and purpose and in the process, experienced the joy that comes from discovering different perspectives and experiential learning.

We love to gather as a College community to celebrate and acknowledge our students’ accomplishments and significant rites of passage in their lives.  Our Year 12 Formal, which was held at Merrimu Reception Centre on Friday 3 February, was one example of this. It was wonderful to be part of this celebration and to celebrate the Class of 2023 for all that they are, “Women of Strength, Women of Kindliness.”  They are a remarkable group of young people, who truly value each other and who have come together through the deep bonds of friendship.

URSTRONG:  Friendology Curriculum

Creating a warm and welcoming community with authentic and positive relationships is important for students’ wellbeing.  At Kilbreda, we are committed to providing best practice, evidence-based and an individualised wellbeing curriculum that enhances the social and emotional learning and wellbeing of our students.  In 2023, we have partnered with URSTRONG to implement a whole-school strategy that empowers students with friendship skills to create communities of kindness.

Relationships are the heart of social-emotional wellbeing and a key feature of our vibrant school community. Throughout Term 1, our Year 7 and Year 8 students will be engaging with the Friendology Curriculum which is designed to give students the skills, language, and self-confidence to be better friends. Staff will explicitly teach students how to develop healthy friendships and manage conflict in a respectful way. These important social skills are the key to bully prevention, creating safe, caring learning environments, and inspiring kinder, happier children.  The College’s Friendology program will also teach students how to make friends and how to put out “friendship fires,” important skills they will carry into adulthood.

The following link outlines some of the language of friendships used in the Friendology program: 

As we move into this year of Courage may we strengthen our partnerships through our ongoing conversations and authentic relationships, grounded in respect and in truth.  May we work together in growing our young people, inspiring them to be change agents in our world.

College Co-Captains

We spoke to our College Co-Captains about their time at the College, what’s important and what Courage means to them. Enjoy getting to know Sienna Koop and Rachel Jones.

Rachel Jones

What is important to you about being College Co-Captain?

To me, being a College Co-Captain is being the role model and inspiration that I looked up too. It means being visible and active within the College community. To me, if I can leave a lasting impact on even one person within the Kilbreda College community, it means that I lived the motto of Strength and Kindliness everyday at school. College Co-Captain means to be present and supportive of everyone around you. You don’t have to always be in the spotlight, but it’s the cheering from the sidelines that enables students to feel supported and appreciated in what they do. As College Co-Captain, it is important to show continued love and support to all aspects of Kilbreda life and the many opportunities and experiences students will be part of. 

What strengths do you bring to this role?

I bring a sense of relatability to my role. This helps to connect to students on a deeper level and grow meaningful connections. I understand the importance of connecting to both students and teachers and through past experiences, I have been able to do so. This has enabled me to learn a lot from many people. I carry the lessons I have learnt from those around me and bring them to my role to create a positive impact. Through the many opportunities I have taken within Kilbreda, I am able to aid, support and give advice to students who want to join the musicals or who are interested in leadership roles. I ensure everyone is listened to and all ideas are taken into consideration. I strongly believe in collaboration and enjoy listening to others and working as a team to bring an idea to life. 

What does our 2023 value of Courage mean to you in the school context?

To me the theme of Courage is to give everything a go. It means to step out of your comfort zone and take the opportunities around you. However, it also means to stand up for what is right and speak out when there is injustice. Furthermore, Courage doesn’t have to just mean to publicly speak or perform, but can even just be to ask a question, introduce yourself to someone new or catch public transport for the first time! Courage is displayed in everyday actions, not just in big moments, and for this, I think that everyone should be congratulated on their everyday courage. 

Sienna Koop

What is the most valuable lesson your Kilbreda education has taught you?

Kilbreda has taught me a variety of important lessons. However, the most important one is how to be a team player in the context of a classroom. Sometimes it is difficult to understand things from someone else’s perspective and see things from a different point of view. However, that is exactly how you have to see things in a classroom. Understanding that learning means a variety of different things to different people is so important to ensuring everybody has the best opportunity at success and learning effectively. You have to communicate with others and allow them to do the same to ensure that success is achieved collectively, rather than individually. These skills also feature in real life situations, such as sporting teams and work environments, where you gradually learn that the way you see life is completely different to the way the person next to you sees life.

What do you want to accomplish as a College Co-Captain?

As a College Co-Captain, I would love to see more unity amongst our College community. Having a united school not just within year levels, but amongst the school as a full community, is extremely important to achieving a variety of things. A growing community can help a person to grow individually and ideally, learn from others. This will ultimately make Kilbreda a much more welcoming place, where people feel they can grow both personally and collectively.

As a College Co-Captain, I also hope to minimise limiting self beliefs and improve people’s perceptions of themselves. We regularly place ourselves in situations where we feel that nothing we do is good enough, so raising awareness that a variety of people are in the same boat and learning how to navigate these feelings is extremely important to growing as a person.

What are your plans for life beyond the gates of Kilbreda?

Once I graduate, I hope to study a double degree of Midwifery and Nursing at Monash University. I would also love to travel before beginning university, as well as gaining my qualifications as a swimming instructor. I am excited to involve myself in things I am passionate about more regularly, such as playing netball and spending time with my friends and family.

Stephanie Smyth
Assistant Principal: Wellbeing and Engagement